Debbie Terry and I checked many fields, hedgerows, and ponds in northern
and NW Carroll County this morning. Among land birds our best finds were a
total of 6 Kestrels, a Towhee, and a small flock of White-crowned Sparrows.
No Tree Sparrows yet, no Red-headed Woodpeckers at traditional sites, no
larks, no shrikes, and all the chickadees were Carolinas. The ponds were
mostly frozen but on the Study Road farm pond were 4 Shovelers and 3
Green-winged Teal. Our last stop was Cranberry Reservoir where the snow was
fast shutting down the visibilty. The best that I could make out there were
a Pintail and 3 Bonaparte's Gulls. With the recent sighting of a
Black-headed Gull at Loch Raven I would like to have seen these birds better
but they were sitting down on the ice and the snow was getting heavy. The
return home was quite exciting if very slow. It took me an hour and a half
to get from Westminster to Eldersburg, normally a 20 minute drive. The roads
were treacherous and accidents were everywhere. Be careful out there.

-- 
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD